Recording apparatus clutch for earth bore drilling equipment



Oct. 24, 1961 o. v. PHILLIPS 3,005,525

RECORDING APPARATUS CLUTCH FOR EARTH BORE DRILLING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept.30, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. 1 OLIVER v. PHILLIPS ATTORNEY Oct.24, 1961 o. v. PHILLIPS 0 RECORDING APPARATUS CLUTCH FOR EARTH BOREDRILLING EQUIPMENT 7 Filed Sept. 30, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR-OLIVER y PHILLIPS v ww/d ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1961 o. v. PHILLIPS RECORDINGAPPARATUS CLUTCH FOR EARTH BORE DRILLING EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Sept. 30, 1957 INVENTOR. OLIVER V PHILLIPS ATTOR EY Oct. 24, :1961o. v. PHILLIPS 3,005,525

RECORDING APPARATUS CLUTCH FOR EARTH BORE DRILLING EQUIPMENT Filed Sept.30, 1957 4 Sheets-Shee't 4 INVENTOR.

. OLIVER V. PHILLIPS ATTORNEY United States Patent rado Filed Sept. 30,1957, Ser. No. 687,051 Claims. (Cl. 192-30) This invention relates to animproved recording apparatus particularly usable With earth boredrilling equipment whereby information as to the time required fordrilling formations and for conducting operations other than drillmg maybe permanently recorded. Among the operations that occur frequentlyother than drilling are changing of drilling bits, adding sections ofdrill pipe, reaming and making various connections and repairs and ofcourse these operations result in up and down vertical movement of thedrill stern as distinguished from progressive downward movement duringdrilling and penetration of the earth. Specifically, it is an object ofthe present invention to provide an improvement upon the recordingapparatus shown and claimed in the Oliver V. Phillips US. patentapplication, Serial No. 570,116, filed March 7, 1956, said applicationand the present invention being owned by a common assignee.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a recordingapparatus including a chart, marking means for the chart and improveddrive means for the marking means which is effective to not only causethe latter to reflect drilling penetration, but to accurately reflecteach exact movement of the drill stem when operations other thandrilling are taking place.

Another object of the invention is to provide in appara tus of the typedescribed improved means associated with the drive means for controllingand positioning the marking means in a plurality of base positions onthe chart whereby extremely accurate marking may be reflected, saidimproved means being simple to operate and connected with the drivemeans by a minimum of parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent uponconsidering the detailed description in conjunction with the drawingswherein like numerals represent similar parts throughout and wherein apreferred embodiment is illustrated and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a horizontal sectional view of the recording apparatus ofthis invention;

FIGURE 2. is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2A is a detailed view of a portion of the measuring wheel ofFIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 1 andillustrating the recording apparatus in its 11 position;

FIGURE 5 is a detailed view of a portion of the apparatus shown inFIGURE 4 and illustrating the parts when the recorder is in the Outposition;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed view of the marking pen supporting means when inthe 11 position;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a modified portion of the apparatus; and

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the lines 8-8 of FIGURE 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the recorder is generallyrepresented by the letter R and it should be mentioned at the outsetthat many of the elements of the recorder are not illustrated as theyform no part of this invention. However, reference may be made to saidapplication for a showing and explanation of the other elements thatwould preferably be incorporated, such as a single marking pen orstylus, the log chart or sheet, the counter, the timing clock and thefootage dial as well as the cable supporting means and guide tube.However, there is illustrated the recording housing H including the sidewalls 1 and 1a, the rear wall 2 and the front wall 3. Provided in therear wall and extending interiorly thereof are bearings 4 of anysuitable type which rotatably support a main shaft 5, as is clearlyshown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Journaled and positioned on this shaft 5 bysuitable means including bearings 6 and a snap ring 7 is the measuringwheel or pulley 8 which in turn is driven by a cable C. This cable C isconnected for movement, by means illustrated in said application, withthe drilling string or stem of earth bore drilling apparatus in such amanner that the cable is continually maintained under tension and eachmovement of the drilling string is reflected in the cable and in turnwheel 8 whereby all vertical movements of the drilling stem will causerotation of wheel 8 in one direction or the other. When the drillingstring is moving downwardly during penetration of the earth, sheave 8will normally move in the direction of the arrow illustrated inFIGURE 1. Numeral 9 merely represents a hexagonal nut cooperating withring 7 and a spacer 11 for maintaining the bearings 6 in position on themain shaft 5.

In said application there is described apparatus for causing properpositioning of the marking pen on certain horizontal base positions ofthe chart, depending upon the direction of movement of the drill stem.This positioning apparatus may be broken down into two categories,namely, drive means and manual operating means for limiting thecorresponding movement of the pen by the drive means and it is thispositioning means which constitutes the main improvement of the presentinvention.

The drive means portion of the positioning apparatus will first bedescribed and in this connection particular reference is made to FIGURES1, 2, 2A and 4. Surrounding the shaft 5 adjacent bearing means 6 is thespacer 1.1 which not only aids in maintaining bearing means 6 inposition, but also heating means 12 upon which is journaled a firstclutch plate 13, the plate 13 being maintained in place on the bearing12 by means including spacer 11 and the snap ring 14. On one side ofplate 13 is a clutch face 15 which is engageable by the clutch body 16(the engaging faces being made of suitable gripping material such ascork) upon movement of the latter from the position shown in FIGURE 2.to that of FIGURE 1. Frictionally carried by clutch plate 13 is areversing clutch ring generally represented by the numeral 17, said ringbeing composed, as is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 4, of twosemi-circular sections 17a and b and being frictionally held on theperiphery of plate 13 by a plurality of spaced friction inserts 18. Theamount of friction imposed by the inserts 18 on plate 13 may be variedby the spring biased means 19 which couples the two semi-circularsections of the ring 17 together. Essentially, each spring bias means 19includes a screw 20 slidable in section 17a and threaded in section 17band having a head 21 and a spring a spring S interposed between the headand the semi-circular section 17a. Obviously the sections 17a and b willbe spaced an amount permitted by the adjustable threaded connections ofscrews 20 in sections 17b and this in turn governs the frictional eifectof inserts 18. Section 17b of the ring 17 is provided with a boss 22within which is provided a recess 23 for operating a reversing levergenerally represented at 24. In any event, the effect of the inserts 18is adjustable so that movement of wheel 13 will cause correspondingmovement of ring 17 until the frictional force is overcome. Hereinafter,body 16 and plate 13 will be referred to as the first clutch assembly ormeans.

Again referring to FIGURE 2, there is slidable in and carried by wheel13 a plurality of spaced bolts 25 having heads 26 normally extendingthrough and beyond the clutch face 15 and movable in recesses 27 in thebody 13. Interposed between the heads 26 and the base of recesses 27 aresprings 28 for continually urging the heads 26 to the position shown inFIGURE 2. The opposite ends of bolts 26 support, as shown in FIGURE 2,an annular clutch plate member 30 which in turn carries adjacent itsperiphery a plurality of spaced studs 31. As shown in FIGURE 2A, thesestuds, which have rubber spacers 35 surrounding same, are positionedwithin spaced cut-out areas 32 of the measuring wheel 8 and carry attheir tips a clutch ring 33 having an annular clutch cork-like facing 34which is engageable with the wheel 8. As will be apparent hereinafter,the second clutch assembly or means may be operated to cause clutch ringor body 33 to engage the measuring wheel 8 whereby movement of thelatter will impart exact corresponding movement to the clutch ring 33and in turn clutch plate 30 or this entire second clutch assembly may bemoved to a position shown in FIGURE 1 wherein corresponding movement isimparted only upon spacers 35 engaging wheel 8 and continuing movementin one direction following such engagement.

Now as to the means for operating clutch body 16 whereby it may beengaged with or disengaged from face 15, reference will be made only toFIGURES 1 and 2. This body 16 is keyed for common rotating movement withmainshaft as indicated at 36 whereby rotation of body 16 will likewiseimpart rotation to shaft 5, but the key arrangement permits longitudinalsliding movement, as in said application, of the body 16 with respect tothe shaft 5. On shaft 5 there is a fixed collar 37 and between thiscollar and the clutch body 16 there is interposed a suitable coil spring38 which normally functions to urge the clutch body 16 into clutchengagement with face 15. There is provided a clutch throw-out fork 39which is operable as in said application to move clutch body 16 againstthe bias of spring 38 from the engaged position of FIGURE 1 to thedisengaged position of FIG- URE 2. Fork 39 which is bifurcated at bothends, although only one bifurcation at each end is shown, is pivotallymounted at 40 on a pillar block 41 integrally extending from a partition42 between side walls 1 and 1A, said partition having a plurality ofopenings therein, as will become apparent, to accormnodate shafts andclutch body 16. Extending from the front wall 3 of the housing is alever 43 known in the trade as an In and Out lever and in FIGURE 1 thislever is shown in its 11 position. Lever 43 is mounted on the outside ofwall 3 so that it is readily available to the operator of the recordingapparatus R and it is connected to operate a shaft 44 which is journaledbetween partition 42 and front wall 3 by any suitable means. A cam 45 iskeyed to rotate with shaft 44 and is provided with a cam face 46 againstwhich one of the forked ends of fork 39 is continually urged by biasmeans 47 interposed between partition 42 and the fork 39, there alsobeing provided a washer 48 further dividing the spring '47 and fork 39to form more or less of a supporting base for said spring. When thelever 43 is moved to the right with respect to front wall 3 orvertically as viewed in FIGURE 1, this being a manual operation, thenthe shaft 44 and cam 45 will likewise be rotated to cause face 46 topivot the fork 39 to an extent overcoming bias 38 and moving body 16from the position of FIGURE 1 to the disengaged position of FIG- URE 2and this is the Out position of lever 43. This latter action is clearlyillustrated, perhaps more in detail, in said pending application and itis believed that by referring to said application the above explanationswill be entirely apparent.

Prior to describing the overall operation, the means for limiting andcontrolling the position of the single pen on the chart will now bedescribed. Let us assume that the parts are as in FIGURE 1, which is theIn position also illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 6. The pen arm 50,which carries a pen arm assembly 51, extends upwardly from a solidmember 52 that is journaled on a stub shaft 53 extending inwardly from asupporting projection 54 on the interior of wall 3. Also journaled onshaft 53 is an L-shaped member 55 having an upstanding portion 56 alwaysurged into engagement, as will be explained, with a cam pin 57. Theother leg of member 55 carries an inturned portion 58 which, through themedium of adjustable screw 59, forms a support for body 52. The latteris continually biased against support 58 by spring means 60 connected toarm 50 and a suitable supporting portion (not shown) of housing H andthus similar bias movement is imparted to cause portion 56 to engage pin57 with the latter limiting the effect of spring 60. Body 52 alsocarries a leaf spring 61, the purpose of which will become apparent.

Pin 57 functions, as will be apparent hereinafter, as a cam forcontrolling the pivotal movements of members 52 and 55 and is secured towheel 63 keyed for movement with a shaft 64 also journaled for rotativemovement between front walls 3 and partition 42. Keyed with shaft 64 onthe terminal end thereof on the drive side of partition 42 is the lever24, said lever including a diamond shaped body 65 having surfaces 66 and67 adapted to engage adjustable stops 68 and 69, respectively, extendingfrom the interior of side 'wall 1, all as illustrated in FIGURE 5. Lever24 also includes an extension 70 carrying a portion 71 which operateswithin slot 23 of ring 17. Pivotally mounted on the left side ofpartition 42, as viewed in FIGURE 1, is a stop member 73, this stopbeing freely pivoted on stub shaft 74, its pivotal movements beingcontrolled by a pin 75 also extending from partition 42 to prevent toomuch flopping of member 73 and an eccentric wheel 76 keyed to move withshaft 44, there being an opening 77 in the end flange of partition 42 topermit movement of the eccentric 76 from the position of FIGURE 4 tothat of FIGURE 5.

Now referring to said pending application, there is shown a portion of achart sheet having three base line positions, namely B B and B Themarking means or pen, not shown, carried by stylus arm 50 is designed tooperate on and off base line B when there is drilling penetration andbetween base lines B and B when operations other than drilling aretaking place. Let us assume that there is drilling penetration and themanually operated lever 43 is in the position of FIGURE 1. This wouldresult in the clutch body 16 being engaged and the clutch face 33disengaged and rotation of the measuring wheel 8 in the direction of thearrow of FIGURE 1. Also, the eccentric 76 would be positioned as inFIGURE 4. Upon the spacers 35 engaging wheel 8 the member 30 would causecorresponding movement of member 13 which in turn would carry ring 17therewith until the frictional force caused by inserts 18 was overcomeand, in actuality, ring 17 would move to the left or in the direction ofthe arrow of FIGURE 4. Movement of ring 17 will cause correspondingmovement of lever 65 until surface 66 strikes stop 68, whereupon 13 maycontinue to rotate and ring 17, as well as lever 24, will remainstationary. The positioning of lever 24 as in FIGURE 4 results in thepin 57 which is engaged by leg 56 being positioned as shown in FIGURES land 6 and this in turn results in the members 55 and 52 being located sothat the pen carried by arm 50 is positioned on base line B it beingrecalled that bias means 60 continually urges body 52 and member 55 tothe left as viewed in FIGURE 6.

Now referring in particular to FIGURES 1 and 3, the arm 50 will remainin said position with the pen on base line B throughout drillingpenetration, with the exception of periodic intervals wherein the arm 50and pen will be moved to the right as viewed in FIGURE 6 to indicateevery foot of drilling and further to the right to indicate five feet ofpenetration. In connection with this latter statement, it will beobvious that shaft will during this time be rotated due to its clutchconnection with member 13. Rotation of shaft 5 causes correspondingrotation of a gear 80 keyed thereon, said gear being arranged to drive apinion 81 keyed to a shaft 82 which is in turn journaled between fronthousing 3 and supporting bracket 83. Rotation of gear 81 causescorresponding rotation of shaft 82 and in turn rotation of beveled gears84 which are connected to operate a counter mechanism not shown but in amanner described in said pending application. Rotation of shaft 82 alsorotates a gear 85 keyed thereto which in turn drives a gear 86 forcausing rotation of stub shaft 87 which is properly journaled and isarranged to operate the pointer 88 of a visual footage dial, the latteralso being shown in said application. It will be noted that shaft 5 atthe front of the housing is journaled in bearings 89 and that said mainshaft 5 is provided with a recess 90 within which stub shaft 87revolves. The various gears 80, 81, 84, 85 and 86 are all of a selectedsize to cause the necessary reduction in speed and proper rotation ofthe counter and footage dial. Rotation of shaft 5 also rotates a sungear 92 keyed thereto as illustrated in FIGURE 3, which in turn operatesthree planet gears 93 and the latter mesh with a stationary internalgear 94. A housing 95 is journaled for rotation on a bushing 96 carriedby shaft 5 and this housing at spaced intervals carries pawls 97 whichmay be adjusted to extend varying distances from housing 95. The latterhousing is rotatably driven by pins 98 (only one of which is shown)connected with gears 93 and the various gear ratios are such thathousing 95 makes one complete revolution for every five feet ofdrilling. Each pawl 97 extending externally from housing 95 is arrangedto strike the leaf '61 of body 52 every time shaft 5 rotates an amountcorresponding to one foot of drilling. Such results in momentarypivoting of body 52 independently of member 55 whereby the pen is movedoff the base line B to cause a substantial lateral marking on the chartindicating every foot of drilling and one of the pawls may be arrangedto extend a greater distance from housing 95 to cause a greater lateralmarking indicating five feet of drilling.

Assuming that operations are now to take place other than drilling,lever 43 is manually shifted to the right as viewed from the front ofhousing H and this results in moving the eccentric 76 to the position ofFIGURE 5, the disengagement of clutch body 16 and the immediateengagement of clutch ring 33 with Wheel 8. In other words, the firstclutch assembly becomes inoperative and the second clutch assembly,known as the trip timer becomes operative. This in turn results in stopmember 73 being locked so that lever 24 may be moved only be tween thesolid line position of FIGURE 5 where it engages stop 73 and the dottedposition where it is in engagement with stop 69. When lever 24 is in thesolid line position of FIGURE 5, the pen carried by arm 50 is on thebase line B and when it moves to the dotted line position of FIGURE 5 itis on the base line position of B and the movements of the pen betweenthese two base line positions, which is controlled by means includingthe position of cam pin 57 as should be apparent by referring to pendingapplication Serial No. 570,116, indicates up or down movement of thedrill stem which occurs during operations other than drilling. Ofprimary importance is the fact that as soon as lever 43 is thrown to theOut position, the springs 27 are free to cause clutch ring 33 toimmediately engage measuring wheel 8 and thus every up and down movementof the drill stem is reflected, regardless of how great or minute thismovement may be and thus a real accurate indication is provided for thedrilling operator.

In Oliver V. Phillips US. Patent, application Serial No. 462,833, filedOctober 18, 1954, now Patent No. 2,860,509, and entitled RecordingApparatus for Earth Bore Drilling, this likewise being owned with thisinvention by a common assignee, there is illustrated a double Pen orstylus technique. It is be understood that the drive means of thisinvention including the second clutch assembly or trip timer is equallyapplicable to such a recorder whereby the operations pen will reflectevery movement when there is no drilling. It also should be mentionedthat the manually operatedmeans of this invention including eccentric76, cam pin 57, stop 73 and its cooperation with lever 24, as well asthe arrangement of body 52 and member 55 constitutes 'an improvement inthis art, particularly due to the ease of operation thereof and theminimum of parts involved.

In place of some of the structure illustrated in FIG- URE 4 there may beutilized the embodiment shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 and in connection withthese latter figures only the new elements thereof are being describedas it should be apparent how they coact with the like elements ofFIGURES 1 to 6, inclusive, in view of the aforesaid discussion.Specifically, plate 13 and ring 17 are replaced by a gear or drivenmember 101 that is freely journaled on shaft 5, said gear being drivenin the same manner as the plate 13. Freely movable or journaled on shaft64 is a second gear 102 which is of a size to mesh with and be driven bygear 101 and which, as shown, carries discs 103 and 104 of grippingmaterial such as cork. The end of shaft 64 illustrated in FIGURES 7 and8 is threaded to receive a nut 105 and interposed between nut 105 anddisc 103 are suitable spring means 106 and a washer 107, both movablelongitudinally on shaft 64. On the gear 102 side of partition 42 thereis a suitable cork disc 108 which is primarily for the purpose ofdamping the arrangement and between disc 108 and disc 102 there isprovided a member 109 having a circular washer-like disc part 110 and apart 111 which, as illustrated, is keyed to the shaft 64 by suitable setscrew means 112. Two of the exterior surfaces of part 111 are shapedcomparable to surfaces 66 and 67 of FIGURE 4, as indicated as 66 and67'.

As should be obvious, gear 101 drives gear 102 and nut 105 may betightened sufiiciently to cause enough friction so that there will becorresponding movement of member 109 and shaft 64 until the surfaces 66or 67' engage one of the other of stops 68 or 69, whereupon the gear 102is driven independently of member 109 and shaft 49. From a manufacturingand durability standpoint, the structure of FIGURES 7 and 8 has beenfound to be more desirable than the friction ring 17 and inserts 18 ofFIGURE 4 and in the claims the expression driven member" is intended toinclude gear 101.

It is to be understood that the recorder disclosed is merely an exampleof the preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications arepossible in the particular structure without departing from thefundamental principles of the invention. Although the recorder is shownas having a special use, its principles may be used for other purposes.Thus, being aware of these possible modifications and uses, I desire itto be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limitedexcept in accordance with the terms of the appended claims andequivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a drilling recording apparatus, a clutching mechanism comprising ashaft, a drive member journaled on said shaft, means for rotating saiddrive member an amount corresponding to vertical movement of the drillstem, a driven member journaled on said shaft, marking means including astylus arm adapted to reflect on a chart vertical movements of the drillstem with respect to time, means connected for limited movement with thedriven member operable to cause movement of said marking means, a firstclutch means comprising the driven member and a clutch body having aface engageable with the driven member, means for coupling anduncoupling said body face and driven member, cooperating means betweenthe drive and driven members, including means operable when said firstclutch means is engaged to cause, upon movement of said drive member apredetermined amount, corresponding movement of the driven member, saidcooperating means including a clutch plate member interposed betweensaid drive and driven members and movable axially of said shaft, andsecond clutch means including said plate member and a clutch ringcarried thereby and engageable with said drive member, said secondclutch means being operable .when said first clutch means is disengagedto immediately cause the ring to engage the drive ember and thus impartthe exact corresponding movement of the drive member to said drivenmember.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the 00- operating meansincludes additional means permitting limited free play of said drivemember prior to causing movement of said driven member when said secondclutch means is disengaged.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said clutch ring is annularand surrounds said shaft, said drive member having a plurality ofcut-out areas and rod-like means connected between said plate member andring and extending through said areas, said areas and rod-like meansforming a lost motion connection between said drive and driven memberswhen said first clutch means is coupled.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said driven member includessupporting means for the plate member, said supporting means beingmovable relative to said driven member.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the supporting means ispositioned for movement by said clutch body from a biased positionwherein the clutch ring of the second clutch means engages said drivemember and' the second clutch means is coupled to a position wherein thering is disengaged from said drive member and the first clutch means iscoupled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,679,161 Yancey May 25, 1954 2,831,347 Yancey Apr. 22, 1958 2.883.256Nichols Apr. 21, 1959

